Letters

If you believe that the establishment of the State of Israel was illegitimate, even though its recognition by the Balfour Declaration became international law when mandated by the League of Nations; and

If you believe that Palestinian land was stolen by the establishment of the State of Israel, even though there has never been an Palestinian State, but in fact the land was considered a part of Syria; and

While enjoying your Dec. 31 in-review issue, I read Mr. Ken Johnson’s letter comparing the irrigation canal systems in Southern California to the lakes and rivers of East Tennessee. I was moved to respond.

In a nutshell, comparing the canals, waterways and lakes (??) of Southern California to the Tennessee River, Chickamauga Lake and Watts Bar Lake is risible.

First, SoCal canals, waterways and lakes are narrow and shallow. In SoCal, creeks are exalted as rivers and ponds promoted as lakes.

For over 20 years during the ’80s and ’90s, I flew a small private plane from Meadowlake Airport in Kingston to Fayette, Ala. In doing so, I picked up the Tennessee River at Chattanooga and flew it all the way to Guntersville, Ala., before leaving the river.

It is an understatement to say the river had some plants in it. It was clogged! The boats had only small lanes to navigate, and I saw few of them on the river.

Those who see those plants as pretty have not seen what I saw from the air.

I’m referring, of course, to the weed problem now impacting TVA’s reservoirs, including Watts Bar Lake. Readers will recall that TVA got its collective wallet caught in the wringer when Eurasian water milfoil infested the lake a few decades ago.

Thank you for all your letters to Santa. Some of the letters were sent directly to the North Pole and did not appear in the Roane County News. Mrs. Claus and I wanted you to know that we received them and enjoyed reading them.

It turns out that all the children in Roane County were on The Nice List.

Thank you to all of those who left milk and cookies out for me on Christmas Eve. I was very hungry.

I moved from Southern California to Kingston a little over four years ago.

The Imperial Valley has the largest open canal irrigation system that I know of. The aquatic weeds invaded the canals, the lakes and waterways there, and almost took over, meaning it hindered fishing, boating and the vital water delivery to farmers in the Imperial Valley.

To think it is a good addition to Watts Bar Lake and should not be addressed is to not understand the extent of the destruction that that weed can and will cause.